Box Score HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Canisius baseball team plated five runs in the final five innings but it wasn't enough to overcome a slow start, as the Griffs fell to James Madison, 7-5 on Monday afternoon. The Blue and Gold extended its losing skid to six in the loss and dropped all four games against the Dukes. With the loss Canisius is now 5-9 on the season.
James Madison scored at least one run in each of the first three innings, including a first inning, three-run rally to put Canisius in an early hole. The pitching staff as whole allowed 13 hits and five earned runs in nine innings of work.
Sophomore Josh Sheapley started the game and went five innings and gave up two earned runs and three hits to go along with one strikeout. Sheapley falls to 0-2 on the year. Senior Eric Stolzenberg, freshman Tyler Smith, and redshirt junior Aaron Casper came on in relief and hurled six innings. Stolzenberg allowed three hits and three earned runs while Smith and Casper hurled four scoreless innings.
Eric Yankey got the start for James Madison as he was credited with the win. He threw five innings and allowed one run on six hits and struck out two.
Junior Brett Siddall led the team as he went 4-of-5 for the game, including a ninth-inning homerun, which brought the Griffs to within two runs of the lead. Senior Connor Panas had a pair of hits including a two-run homerun, while senior Mike Krische and freshman Ryan Stekl each recorded RBIs.
James Madison stormed out of the gate with a three-run first inning and proceeded to record a run in the bottom of the next two innings.
With the score 7-2, Panas pounded a homerun to right center, in the top of the eighth, driving in Krische, which cut the Dukes lead to 7-4.
Canisius, in hopes of a rally in the top of the ninth, got a leadoff homerun by Siddall to make it 7-5. The Griffs were unable to complete the comeback however, as freshman Cyrus Senior struck out looking, freshman Jack Massa and sophomore Jake Lumley flied out with freshman Alex O'Donnell stranded on first.
The Griffs now return home and get ready to play cross-town rival, Buffalo at the Demske Sports Complex on Wednesday, afternoon. First pitch is to be determined.
